“aah, here comes another (2a).”
I know this is a phrase many are saying. Here are my perspectives on this.
Weeks before the launch of (2a), I remember being in the office in London and seeing the device for the first time in person. The feelings I got when I saw the leaked renders online versus when I saw (2a) in person were polar opposites. It felt so good to look at and hold. @Akis was the one who was absolutely certain of its acceptance from day one, even when there was so much negativity around the design initially.
I remember Akis asking me what the community would think about this when it comes out, and I had to share my genuine reaction of how I felt at that time. But when we were talking about the price range and I got to know where exactly (2a) sits in the product line, I immediately said, “This is going to be sold like hot cakes.” I said the same for CMF Phone 1 too. It’s amazing to see Nothing doing something so different each time yet killing it commercially, and that says a lot.
Yes, there are many variants, but they’re just colour variants, not different phones. Be it the Special Edition, the Milk variant, or the Blue variant exclusive to India. Technically, it’s just one phone and everything comes down to preference. Next comes the Phone (2a) Plus. I was a bit surprised at first, but then I started thinking about how the team can maximise the (2a) even further before jumping onto the next generation. That gave me an answer. And even now, it has different colour options compared to (2a). Again, it’s about preference. There are people who appreciate its existence, who need those extra refinements and the gap it fills in the product line.
Finally, we’re talking about the Community Edition. I’ll be so bullish on the Community Edition as the Nothing community is so close to my heart. Around my first board meeting, I was talking to @Carl, and he mentioned The Community Edition Project, essentially taking co-creation with the community to the next level. @Rob ⚡️ took me through the entire ideation process and how complicated it is to pull off, yet I could see the excitement in both Carl’s and Rob’s eyes about doing this project. Again, it’s the same (2a) we all loved, just as a different variant and, again, a matter of preference. I decided that day that the (2a) Community Edition would be the one for me. And I hope I can say this: it might not be profitable either.
I’m putting this out here because you might be thinking Nothing is just cash-grabbing on (2a)'s success. Then you might be questioning why the team is even doing this. There are three reasons: to celebrate our community, to show the world what our community is capable of, and to demonstrate what peak collaboration looks like. And this isn’t even a walled garden just for existing members. We wanted as many creative and talented souls as possible to join the community and be part of this big project and this community of like-minded individuals.
Fast forward to today, the launch date is getting nearer, and I can’t wait for the world to witness what the Nothing Community is capable of. With this, let’s welcome everyone into such an amazing space of growth, creativity, and learning. Here comes another (2a) to finish this beautiful page in Nothing’s journey. This festive season, it’s time to glow with Community spirit and tell the world how products can also be made: with love, with support, with belief, with camaraderie, and with fun.
